Single-turret continuous double seamer



H. L. GUENTHER SINGLE TURRET CONTINUOUS DOUBLE SEAME'R Dec. 21 1926.

5 Sheets she et l Filed Jan. 28.

Dec. 21 1926. 1,611,523

- H. L. GUENTHER SINGLE TURRET CONTINUOUS DOUBLE SEAMER 'Ht tor-12e 5.

Dec. 21 1926. 1,611,523

H. L. GUENTHER SINGLE TURRET CONTINUOUS DOUBLE SEAMER Filed Jan. 28, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 21 1926.

H. L. GUENTHER SINGLE TURRET CONTINUOUS DOUBLE SEAMER Filed Jan. 28, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 r11 eys.

Dec. 21 1926. 1,611,523

H. L. GUENTHER SINGLE TURRET CONTINUOUS DOUBLE .SEAMER Filed Jan. 28. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Dec. 2l, 1926.

HENRY L. GUENTHER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

SINGLE-TUBRET CONTINUOUS ,DOUBLE SEAMEB.

Application led January 28, 1925i Serial-No. 5,256.

This invention relates'to can making machinery and particularlyv pertains to can double seaming machinery for the same general purpose Vas shown in my Patent No. 1,049,227, granted December 31, l1912, and Patent No. 1,144,195, granted January 2nd, 1923.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a single turret, multi spindle, high speed, continuously operating, double seaming machine, by which filled or emptied cans may be delivered to the machine at normal operating speeds, and will upon entering the machine be gradually ,ac-

celerated in speed until the can is traveling at the relative high rate ot speed of the seaming spindle, and during said acceleration to supply caps individually to the trav- 'eling cans, after which the cans and the associated caps will be united by a double seam while being operated by the single turret seaming head.

The present invention further contemplates the embodiment in the machine ol?` a novel seaming head provided with a micrometer precision adjustment and novel means for holding the cans and associated capsin the proper relation to each other and for stripping the caps from the seaming 3U head.

. which:

The present invention contemplates the embodiment in 'a can double seaming machine of a rotary turret provided with complementary chucks by which a can and cap may be held While being carried by the turret, a composite curling and finishing seaming head associated with one of the chucks of each pair of chucks and by which the cap and the mouth of the can are curledto form an interlocking double seam, said cap and can having been previously delivered to the continuously operating rotary turret by Ycan and cap timing, feeding and accelerating means, whereby the cans from a flow of cans Will/be lgradually increased intheir speed ot travel to that of the chucks, and whereby the cans will each act to procure a cap and deliver it coincidentally with the can to the chucks of the seaming head'.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in

Fig. 1 is a view* in plan 'showingthe complete double seaming machine wlth which the present mventlon .is concerned. l

y Fig. 2 .is a view in central vertical section through the seaming turret o the machine more particularly disclosing the spindle constructlon and the drives for the turret, the spindles and the seaming head.

Fig. 3 is a view Ain plan taken through the machine at a pointdirectly above `the lower chucks of the seaming turret, as indicated by the lines 3*-3 on Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrows. i

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view in horizontal .section through one of the seaming spindles as seen on the line 4-4.of Fig. 2, and more clearly disclosing the operating cams for the seaming machines.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged central longitudinal section through a portion of the rotary turret as seen on the lines 5-5 of Fig. 4, and showing in detail the construction of the seaming head and the manner in which the seaming rolls are operated in sequence and as the machine is in continuous operation.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in said elevation showing the individual micrometer adjustment for the seamingrolls.

Fig. 7 is a view in elevation showing the cap centering and holding means as disassociated from the spindle mechanism of the double seaming turret.

Fig. 8 is a View similar to that shown in Fig. 7, indicating the manner in which the cap centering and holding means also acts as a Stripper rod for the can after the seam has lbeen formed.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, 10 indicates can timing means adapted to receive cans from a continuous flowof cans and to initially space and time the cans relative to themachine. 11 generally indicates can accelerating means by which the previously spaced cans are carried forwardly to individual can and cap transfer means generally indicated at 12, and which means are adapted to receive a can and cap and deliver them coincidentally to the chucks of a double seaming turret 13, the caps having been delivered to the individual cam carrying and accelerating members of the can and cap structure 12 from a cap feed 14.

The can spacing and time structure 10 comprises a horizontally disposed flat disc 15 onto which cans may be delivered from a run wheel 17. The star wheel 17 is'formed with fiutes-around its circumferential face, which portions represent a reverse curve, the con- AVex portion forming the point of the star wheeland the reverse concave portion form-v ingr pockets into which the can may seat.

Disposed along the path of travel of the cans while resting on the disc15 and provided to yieldingly obstruct the fiow of cans onto the disc, is a pair of fingers 18 and 19 mounted in a crescent shape frame 20. This frame has a concave face substantially agreeing in position and radius with the edge of discs 15. The fin ers are curved, the fin er 18 extendin in a Vance of er 19 and being yielding y held in the pat of travel of the cans-by a spring 21. Finger 19 is yieldingly held by a relatively heavier compression spring 22. In this manner the cans 'flowing onto the disc will first encounter slight resistance while they are finding a seat between the points of the star wheel and without any abrupt stop, and they will encounter greater resistance as they roll along the convex backs of the points of the star wheel and strike the finger -19 held by the heavier spring 22. By this time the cans will be in suitable position relative to the star wheel to yinsure that they will be separately spaced and will be carried forwardly on the disc 15 and into operative relation to I seaming turret 13. It will therefore be apthe can timing and accelerating means 11.

The can accelerating means 11 comprises a disc 23 extending beneath and being overlapped by the disc 15 of the timing means 10. The disc 23 is mounted upon a continuousl rotating drive shaft 24 parallel with sha t 16 of the disc 15. Mounted upon the drive shaft and disposed above the disc 23 is a housing 25 carrying a plurality of fingers 26 swinging in vertical planes and radially of the drive shaft 24. These fingers earry rollers 27 at their upper ends extending into an eccentric cam groove 28 of the housing 25, and as the rollers move along the cam groove the'fingers will swing from a position practically parallel to the shaft 24 to a position at a considerable angle thereto, thus causin the points 29 of the fingers to move towar and away from the axis of the disc and back and forth radially across the disc. These points 2 9 are intended to engage the cans being delivered from the timing disc 15 and to propel the cans along and between parallel eccentric rails 30 and 31. The rail 30 leads over the face of the accelerating disc 11 and. connects. with a reversely grooved rail 32 disposed with a guiding face co centric with the drive shaft 33 of the can anc cap feeding mechanism generally indicated at 12. The rail 31` extends parallel to the rail 39 and leads from a point over disc 15 to a point over the edge of the moving members 34 of the can and cap feed mechanism.

4members 34 are fitted with recesses at their outer ends to vreceive a can and cap, the can being delivered to the recess from the accelerating disc 11 and the cap being delivered over the can by the cap feed mechanismV 14. The cap feed mechanism is directly controlled by the cans andis actuated by a can as it passes along and over the accelerating disc 11 and encounters a trip finger 35, which actuates a clutch controlling the operation of the cap feed, as shown in my Patent No. 1,454,383, entitled .Can cap feed, issued to me on the Sth'day of May, 1923.

The means for swinging the can receiving members 34 around the axial shaft 33 propel the swinging arms at variable rates of speed, the lowest speed occurring. at the point where the can and cap pass from the accelerating disc 11 and assume seated positions in the recesses at the end of the swinging arms 34. The highest rate of swinging movement of each arm takes place at the point where the can and cap are delivereo onto the lower chucks 38 of the double parent that during the continuous operation of the machine, cans and caps will be fed at gradual accelerating speeds from a slow owing run of cans to a high speed rotating double seaming turret.

The seaming turret with which this invention is more particularly concerned, comprises four ffeaining units disposed in equal angular spaced relation to each other around a central point 39.4 This shaft extends through a sleeve 40, the shaft being journalled at its upper endV in a bearing 41 carried by the main frame 42 of the machine and its lower end in a bushing 43 mounted in the sleeve 40. The sleeve is in turn journalled in a long bearing 44 held by suitable cap screws 45 to the bed plate 46a of the frame. The central shaft 39 may be driven by any source of power supply, but is here shown as driven from an overhead jack shaft 45 extending transversely of the upper end of the shaft 39 and being driven from a suitable source of supply through a clutch 46. This clutch may be manually controlled by a Shifting lever 47 acting through suitable shifting means 48.

The driving connection between the jack shaft 45 and the vertical shaft 39 consists of a bevel gear 49 mounted on the jack shaft and in mesh with a suitable bevel gear 50 fastened on the upper end of the drive shaft 39. pinion 51 is secured on the lower end ofthe turret drive shaft 39 and is in mesh 'turret spider 56".

with a reduction gear 52 free to rotate on a stub spindle 53 supported parallel to the drive shaft 39 in a bearing.54 forming a part of the b ed plate 46a. The gear 52 is Vdirectly*keyed onto the hub Iof a small pin- `extend parallel to the drive shaft 39 and carry sliding tubular shafts 59 which are keyed relative to the bushing, and which at their lower ends carry cam rollers 60.. These cam rollers ride along the face of a circular cam 61 disposed concentric to and in a plane at ri ht angles to the drive shaft 39. Uuring t e rise and fall of the cam, the rollers v will move vertically at points in their circular path of travel and will cause the tubular shaft 59 to rise and fall. These shafts at their upper end carry lower chuck spindles 62 ,upon which lower chucks 38 are mounted. The chuck spindle 62 may slide longitudinally within the tubular shafts` 59, as they are yieldably held in their upper- 'most positions by compression springs 63.

Adjusting screws 64 extend downwardly through the;a chuck spindles and regulate the tension of the spring 63 so that the amount of curl on the mouth of the can during the seaming operation may be accurately determined'and changed.

In longitudinal alignment with the lower chuck /spindle 62 and parallel to the drive shaft' 39 are complementary u per chuck spindles 65 carrying upper chuc s 66. The spindles 65 are rotatably supported'in the bearings 67 and 68 formed as a art of the upper turret-spider 69. This spi er is keyed onto the sleeve 40 at or near the upper end ofthesleeve. The upper chuck spindles 65 directly extend through the hub 70 of the cage 71 of the double lsearning heads, one of which heads is associated with each of the upper chucks 66. The upper end of the hub 70 is fitted with a pinion 72 which'is [keyed ontothe hub` and which in turn is in l`mesh with a' gear` -73 keyed onto the main drive sh; ft'39 vof the turret. I *extends .with a vpinion at its upperend. This s fpinion is in mesh with agees-'76 keyed onl Thehub 70 rough .,-a sleeve 74 formed integral 'to the shaft 39v at a pointlbe'tween lthe gear 73 and the hub` of the upper spider 69.

There is keyed onto the lower end of the sleeve 74 a cam structure comprising curling and `nishing cams 77 and'- 78 respectively. Attention is' directed to the fact'that the gear ratio between gears 72 and 73 and i by which the seemingl head cage 71 is` rosv tated and the gear ratio between gears 75 and 76 by which the cams77fand 78 are driven, such that therenwilhbea difference in the rotating'sp'eeds ofthe cage 71 and the cam structure suflicient to bring about a diferencel of one of the rotating speeds of the cage and cams 'during the complete seaming operation on a particu- 'lar can.

As previously stated, the spindles 65 are mounted in bearings 67 and 68 forming a vpart of the upper' turret spider. The upper ends of the spindles 65 are each formed with a circumferential groove 79 engaged by an adjusting collar 80. This collar is formed as a part of an adjusting screw 81 mounted in a threaded bore 82, one of. which is in the' upper end ofthe bearing 68. By this means,

longitudinal individual adjustment ofthe spindles 65 ma be made to cause the circumferential e ge of the upper chuck plate 66 to properl agree with the grooves in the curling and ishing rolls 83 and 84 of the seaming heads.

The finishing rolls 83 and 84 of the seaming heads are arranged in respective pairs on the diametrically opposite sides of the axis of the spindles 65 and in equal spaced angular relation to each other. These rolls are rotatably supported by pins 85 extending from the lower ends of seeming armsV 86 and 87. These arms are pivotally mounted upon pins88 carried by the seaming head cage 71 and in a manner to permit radial y swinging movement of the arms 86 and 87 with relation to the spindles 65 and to 'also provide that the rollers 83 and 84 may swing toward and away from the ycircum- .ferential edge of chucks 66 so that a seam respond in position to the dwell onlheotherf i 120 cann'a'ndgthe curling and finishing rollswill therefore operate 1n sequence` and during the-time that the',completesheadv with all four rollers is continuouslytraveling'ardund.

the top of the can to .be seamedr- The cam vrollers `89 and' 90 'are mounted upon the upper yends of their respective levers 86' and 87 and are heid in position against the facesff the cams 77 and 78.- The rollers are directly mounted in each instance on eccentric pins 91 which extend Y uion which the camroller is directly mountand .a section 96 in longitudinal alignmentv with the section 94 and concentric l therewith, while being eccentric to the central section 95. Due to this arrangement rotation of the roller pins in their bearin s at the ends of the cam levers will shift't e axis of the cam rollers and thus move the axis of a particular roller toward ror away from the axis of the seaming head and around which thel rollers move. It will therefore be obvious that by this adjustment the roller ends of the lever arms 86 and 87 may be se't relative to the peripheries of the cams, and that a reverse swinging action of the lower ends of the levers around their pivots 88 will cause the seamin rolls' 83 and 84 to be adjusted relative to t e circumferential edge of the upper chuck late 66 with the result that the character of t e seam may be determined and its formation accurately controlled.

The adjustment of the seaming rolls by means of the eccentric cam roll pin 91 insures that a micrometer setting of the rolls may be visibly made, and that it will not be necessary to adjust and inspect a seam to determine the manner in which the rolls are operating to formthe curl or hook and to compress the seam, but that the adjustment may be made to any fraction of an inch by a visual precision adjusting means. This comprises a Vernier linger 97 mounted on the upper concentric portion 96 of the cam .roll pin 91. This finger may be moved around the pin 91 due to the fact that it is provided with a split bearing through which the portion 96 of the pin extends and which bearing may he clamped onto the pin by a set screw 98. The Vernier finger overhangs the cam roller also mounted upon the pin 91 and may be moved to abut against a Vernier stop 99 carried on the end of the seaming roll levers 86 and 87 respectively, and as more clearly shown in Fig. 6 of the drawing. It'will he possible, therefore, to rotate the cam pins 91 any desired fraction of one rotation by interposing a thickness gage between the Vernier finger, 97 and the Vernier stop pin 99 in a manner which will be hereinafter set forth.

The cam ,rollers 89 and 90 of cach seaming head are held to constantly bear against the peripheral surfaces of their respective cams 77 and 78 by means of tension springs 100, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

In double seaming machines and particularly high speed continuously operating double seaming machines, it' is essential that the caps shall be properly seated over the mouth of the can prior to the double seaming operation, and for that reason a mechanism has been provided as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings. This device operates in conjunction with the usual stripper rod which in most can double seaming machines moves out froml the face of the upper chuckiplate to force the seamed cap away from this plate. This is a precaution taken to clear the chuck, due to the fact that. sometimes the seam binds on' the circumferential edge of the chuck cris slightly seamed over this edge 4so that it does not readily release.

A stripper rod of this general type is indicated in Figs. 7 and 8 at 101. This rod has an enlarged end 102 which is adapted to rest against the ca 103 of a can 104. The rod extends upwar ly through'the spindle 65 of the seaming head, it being understood that Figs. 7 and 8 show this spindle disassociaterl from the sleeve andv bearings indicated in detail in Fi 5 of t-he drawings. The upper end of t e spindle is formed with a counter-bore 105, within which is seated a compression spring 106. This spring acts between the shoulder of the counterbore and a shoulder formed by the enlargedend 107 of the stripper rod 101. A rounded head 108 is formed on the top of the stripper rod 101 and in usual practice encounters a fixed knock-out cam 109 as shown in Fig. 8 of the drawing.

At the time the head 108 of the stripper rod 101 encounters the knock-out cam 109, the seam has been completed and the rod acts to strip the cap from the chuck 66. In the present case, however, this rod has been utilized for an additional purpose, and that is to hold the cap 103 in place until such a time as the lower chuck plate38 shall have lifted the can and cap in engagement with the chuck plate 66, and at which time the plate 66 will seat within the annular recess in the top of the cap. It will be evident that during this operation the stripper rod will be yieldably held and may automatically recede from its extended osition as the can and cap are recede This is brought about by a centering cam 110 pivotally mounted at its forward end on a pin 111 and carried by the upper frame structure 42 of the main frame. The cam is disposed in the circular path of travel of the heads 108 of the stripper rods and at the point indicated by the letter A in Fig. 1 of the drawings, cam 109 being positioned in the same path of travel at the point indicated by the letter B of Fig. 1 of the draw- 1ng.

The centering cam 110 may swing vertically toward or away from the head 108 of the stripper rods, and as in the case of cam 109, it is formed with a V shaped cam CII face which first forces the stripper rod down through the spindle 65 to an extreme lowermost position and then allows-the rod. to recede under the action of the compressed spring 105. The rods 101 may also have reciprocable movement in addition to that provided by the rise and slope of the cam faces while passing along and in engagement with the centering cam 110., This 1s permitted due to the fact that the 'opposite end of the centering cam 110 from its pivotal mounting 111 is yieldingly held by a spring 112 which will allow the cam to swing away from its obstructing position .in the event that there-:are inequalities in the height of the can or during the time that the contents of the can are being forced downwardly and the cap is being centered.' An i adjusting screw 113 is provided to determine the normal position of the swell on the cam 110 relative to the head 108 of thev stripper rods while not interfering with the yielding movement. of the cam under eXtreme conditions.

In operation of the present invention cans are fed onto the can timing disc 15 from a run of cans indicated at dotted lines on Figs. 1 and 3. A can timing structure 10 of which the disc 15 is a part is rotating in the direction of the arrow -a. The cans will be carried forward due to the crowding action of the cans in the run and also the frictional engagement of their bottoms with the rotating discs 15. As the cans are carried forward they will be forced to enter a throatwhich is defined on one side by the crescent shaped frame member 20 with its yielding fingers 18 and 19 and on the side by the star wheel 17. The finger 18 will tend to retard the flow of cans and will cause the individual cans to assume positions between the points on the periphery of the star wheel and in the recess formed by the concave portions of the star wheel just following their convex points. It will be evident that due to the relatively long radii describing the convex and concave portions along the periphery ofthe star wheel, the cans will be gently rolled into position and their contents will not be violently agitated or disturbed.

The cans will be carried forwardly along the yielding finger 18 until reaching the finger 19, both of which ngers are pivoted at 19. As previously described the fingers 18 and 19 are held by springs 2l and 22 respectively, the latter of which is much stronger lthanthe first, thus tendiig to further retard the progress of the incoming cans until the point of one of the teeth on the star wheel has overtaken thecan and will then positively carry the can forwardly between the frame member 20 and the frame rail 31. At this time the cans will be carried over the disc 23 yof the can accelerating ings, it will be seen that when the cans are engaged by the fingers 29 of arms 26, these fingers are` in their receded positions, that is to say, the are in their closest positions to the sha t 24 around which they travel. As the cans are advanced by the,

fingers and the accelerating structure 11 rotates in the direction of the arrow -b-, the fingers will swing outwardly and propel the cans individually along a ath of travel eccentric to the shaft 24 an confined by .rails 30 and 31.

At the time the cans pass off of the disc 23 they will move into register with can receiving recesses formed in the ends of can and cap carrying and accelerating members 34 which individually travel around shaft 33 at gradually accelerating rates of speed, the lowest rate of speed being at the point of reception of the can and the highest rate of speed at the point when the can and cap are delivered to the lower chuck of the seaming turret structure 13.

As the can passes along the track-Way 31, it will encounter a swinging trip arm 35 controlling a clutch which operates the cap feed mechanism 14. This mechanism is of the type in which a reciprocating knife structure cuts the lowermost cap from a stack of caps and propels it forwardly into a position over the can which has actuated the clutch. This can and cap will be coincidentally carried by one of the members 34 to a position between lower chuck 38 and upper chuck 36 associated with one of the seamng heads in the seaming turret 13.

During the travel -of the can and cap to the double seaming turret, suitable means will have acted to force the oana'nd cap together so that the fruit will` be packed in position and the cap will b'e properly disposed over and in the mouth of the can. At the time the can is delivered onto the lower chuck 38, this chuck is in its lowermost position, due to the fact that the lifting roller 60 mounted at the bottom of the shaft 59 carrying the chuck 38 has not encountered the annular cam 61 carried on'the base plate of the machine.

By reference to Fig. 7 of the drawing, the

Attention is directed to the fact that prior to the raising of the can and cap to their seaming position, at which time they will be clamped between chucks 38 and 66, the Stripper rod 101 will have encountered the cam 110 which will have forced the head 102 of the stripper rod down against the cap, the center of the cap in the mouth of the can, and to hold it in this position until the can and cap are properly seated and securely clamped between the upper and lower chucks. The recessed portion of the cam 110 agrees in angularity and position with the rise on the cam 61, so that as the can is lifted by the upward movement of lower chuck 38, the stripper rod will recede at the same speed, thus continuingr to hold the cap as the chuck plate 66 becomes seated in the recessed end thereof. Variation in this operation and irregularities in the can and capdimensions are accommodated by the yielding mounting of the center cam 110 as provided by spring 112.

When the chuck 38 has lifted the can and cap to a position wherejit is.seated against the upper chuck 66, the can and cap will be held by the expansive action of spring 63v7 as shown in Fig. 2 of the dra'ving. This ac ,tion may be varied by the adjustment member 64 extending downwardly through the chuck spindle 62 and by rotation of the chuck on the threaded portion of the spindle 62. It will he understood that the amount of compression exerted against the can and cap at this time will to a great extent determine the amount of curl and hook made in the seam to be formed.

As the can and cap are carried forwardly in their clamped position between chucks 38 and 66, the cans will -be held stationary relative to their own axes, but will travel around the axis of the turret. During this time the complete .seaming head structure will be rotated.

The complete double seaming turret struc'- ture will rotate around its axis and around shaft 39 and it is driven through the medium of the shaft 39 which is connected with some suitable means for driving power above the machine and driving through gear set 49 and 50. The shaft 39 drives the tubular shaft 40 of the turret through gears 51 and 52 and 55 and 56. It will therefore be evident that the turret and its tubular shaft 40 willbe revolving at a much lower rate of speed than the driving speed of the shaft 39. V, Simultaneous with this a'ction the shaft 39 will be driving the rotary seaining head through gears 73 keyed to the shaft and a pinion 72 keyed onto the sleeve of the seamiiig head cage 71, The cams 77 and 78 will also be driven -from the shaft 39 simultaneously through gears 76;-keyed to the shaft 39 and pinions fixed to sleeve 74 carrying the cams. rlhere is al difference in the rotating will rotate at a slightly increased speed over the rotating speed of the cams 77 and 78, so that in a desired number of revolutions the cams 77 and 78 will have moved with relation to the rollers'89 and 90 on the levers of the seaming rollers 83 and 84, thus actuating the rollers and the seaming levers so that the seaming rolls will swing inwardly and outwardly as the seaining head continuously rotates and as the can and cap are op erated upon thereby.

It often becomes desirable to accurately determine and control the operation of the seaming and finishing rollers 73 and 74 respectively, and for that reason a simple visible adjustment has been provided as a part of the present invention. This adjustment insures that micrometer precision can be attained in adjusting the operation of the rollers and is effected in the following manner.

Assuming that it is desired to test and inspect the work performed by the curling rolls 83, it is possible to render the finishing roll 84 inoperative by first loosening the nut 82 on set screw 83 of finishing roll lever 87, and then swinging the eccentric roller pin 91 around by moving the Vernier finger 97 from its abutting position against Vernier stop pin 99 to a position against a pin 99 disposed substantially diametrically opposite to the pin 99 and carried on the end lof lever 87. vThis will shift the eccentric portion of the roller pin 91 so that the roller 90 will be moved out of Contact with its cam 78 at all times. The first operation rolls 83 may then be employed to curl the Seam and the can and cap will pass through the machine without being acted upon by the finishing rolls 84. The curl of the seam and its general formation may then be carefully inspected.

If adjustment of the rolls 83 is required, this may be visually brought about with great accuracy by holding the cam roller pin 91 as it is clamped by and 93, and thereafter loosening the Vernier .finger 97 on the upper concentric portion of the roller pin 91, so that the vernier finger may be easily moved without turning the roller pin. A thickness gageniay then be -laid against the side of the Vernier stop pin 99 and the'finger then brought against the ,thickness gage, after which the finger is set the nut and bolt 92 relative to the roller pin by tightening the screw 98 and then the thickness gage 1s removed.

The bolt and nut 92 and 93 are then loosened so that the roller pin may be rotated and after this has been done the vernier linger is moved over a ainst the side of Vernier stop pin 99. T is movement will correspond exactly to the width of the thickL ness gage which has been removed from between the pin and the finger. After the vernier linger 97 abuts against theside face of the Vernier pin 99 the roller spindle will then be locked by the 'bolt 92 and will be held in its locked position with its eccentric portion 95 shifted a desired amount to vary the relative throw .of the roller lever as it rides along the peripheral face of its operating cam.

After the rollers move around the can the predetermined number of revolutions which we will assume for the time being is seven revolutions while the curling rollers are operative, and five revolutions while the finishin rolls are operative, the seaming turret wil have moved to a. position Where the lower chuck spindle 59 with its roller 60 will ride down the inclined face of the circular cam 61, thus causing the can to be low ered on the chuck 38 to a position where it can be moved free of the chuck plates and the seaming head and ejected lfrom the machine by a rotary member not shown in the drawing. Simultaneous with the downward movement of lower chuck 38 as shown in Fig. 8 of the drawing, the stripper rod 101 will strike the fixed stripper cam 109, thus movin the rod downwardly to force the can an its cap from a seated position around the upper chuck 66.

It will thus be seen that by the structure here disclosed, a continuously operating high speed single turret double seaming machine is provided equipped with can and cap timing and feeding means lwhereby cans and caps may be fed into the machine with an accelerated movement and without danger of slop ing the contents of the cans, and after wliich the can and cap are seamed together by a -seamin head traveling with the can and which hea is provided with simple and accurate means .for visually adjusting the action of the seam curling and finishing rolls.

While I have shown the preferred form of this invention as now known to me, Lwish it understood that various "changes may be made in its construction without departing from the spirit of thev invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat-A ent is:

1. A can double seaming machine comprising means for timing and propelling ends of said cans and their caps along `a path of travel at a gradually accelerating rate of speed, a constantly rotating seaming turret,--means for coincidentally delivering a can and its cap to a seaming station on the said turret, means for clamping the can and cap in said seaming station and holding the same against movement relative to its own axis while travelingwith the turret, and automatically operating means for 'form-ing a complete double seam between said can and cap while being held and carried forwardly by said turret. f l

f 2. A can double'seaming machine comprising means for timingv and propelling cans along a path of travel at a gra-dually accelerating rate of speed, a cap feed mechanism, means controlled by a can to cause a cap to be fed thereto and thereover, mea-ns for simultaneously advancing the can and the cap .at a continued accelerated rate of speed, a

continuously rotating double seaming turret to which said associated cans and caps coincidentally deliver, seaming stations on said turret comprising upper and lower chucks between which the can and cap -are clamped to a rotary seaming head, means for holding a can and cap between the chucks in their clamped positions, and means for continuously operating said seaming 'head to form a finishy and seam between a can and a cap while said turret is in continuous rotation,

and means for releasing said seaming can and cap after the seaming operation has been completed.

3. A double seaming hea-d comprising a chuck plate adapted to seat Yinthe recess of a can cap, a seaming head cage adapted to constantly rotate about theaxis of said chuck plate, pivotal levers carried by said cage and' Swingin in planes radial to the axis of the chuck p ate, seam forming" andseam finishing rolls carried at the' lower ends of said levers and adapte-d to act uponl the flanges of a can and cap associated with the chuck, .rev-- oluble cams operatively engaging the upper levers to swing the seamA forming and seam finishin rolls towards and away from the circum' erential edge of said chuck plate in timed relation to 'the revolution of the seaming head cage.

4;. A double seaming head comprising a chuck plate adapted to seat in the recess of a can cap, a seaming head cage constantly -rotating around the spindle of said chuck plate, seam forming-and seam finishing rolls adapted to actupon thelanges of a can and a cap associated with said chuck plate, lever members carried by said cage and swinging in planes radial to the axis of the chuck p late spindle and upon the lower ends'of which said rolls are mounted, and `automatically operating meansfor successively acting upon the lever members to swing the rolls inwardly toward the circumferential edge of the chuck plate, comprising a pair of constantly rotating cams moving at a speed of rotation different from the speed of rotation of the seaming head cage.

5. In a double seaming head, roll adjustinw means comprising a spindle, said spindle belng formed with eccentric and concentric lengths, means lfor clamping and holding concentric length of the spindle, a roller mounted on the eccentric length of spindle, and adjusting means for rotating said spindle a fraction of a revolution while its concentric length is unclamped, whereby the axis of the roll will-be shifted relative to the axis of theconcentri'c portion of the spindle.

6. ln a double seaming head, a seaming struct-ure comprising a seaming roll, a movable support therefor whereby the roll may be moved towardl and away rom a seam to be formed, cam means acting upon the movable support for actuating` the roller, a cam roller carried by said support and bearing against the face of the cam, and adjusting means for said cam roller comprising a spindle havlng concentric lengths between which an eccentrlc length 1s formed and upon which eccentric portion the cam roller is mounted, means on the seaming roll support for clamping one of the concentric portions of the splndle against rotation, and means on the opposite concentric portion of the spindle whereby the spindle may be rotated a fraction of a revolution.

7. In a double seaming head, seaming means comprising a pivoted lever, a seaming roll mounted on one arm of said lever, a cam roll spindle lmounted on the opposite arm of said lever, said spindle beingvformed with opposite concentric ends and an intermediate eccentric portion, means for clamping one of said eccentric ends to the lever, and against rotation, a cam roll mounted on said concentric portion of the spindle, a cam with which said roll engages, a gage'stop carried on the lever arm, an adjustable gage finger carried on a concentric portion ofthe spindle and adapted to be used in cooperation with the stop to rotate the spindle a fraction of a revolution when said spindle is unclamped. thereby shifting the axis of the cam roller relative to the face of the cam.

HENRY L. GUENTHER. 

